British Airways Strike Set For Seven Days In March

British Airways' cabin crew have voted for strike action over two consecutive weekends in March: a three-day walkout March 20-22 and a four-day walkout March 27-30.

Unite, cabin crew trade union, announced the industrial action at lunchtime today. The strikes will involve 12,000 flight attendants and will affect more than half a million BA passengers.

As promised, there will be no strikes over the Easter period, but further strike action will take place after April 14 if no deal has been reached by then.

Unite Assistant General Secretary and lead negotiator with BA Len McCluskey said today, "The talks we have been conducting with British Airways over the entire course of this year reached a conclusion this week. Regrettably, management turned down a remarkable offer from the union which would have given the company everything it said it wanted while also meeting our members' concerns."

BA chief executive, Willie Walsh, withdraw a compromise offer after hearing that Unite had set dates for the airline's first cabin crew strike in 13 years.

Cabin crew grievances have intensified since November last year, when BA reduced the number of cabin crew on long haul flights from 15 to 14 and brought in a two-year pay freeze from 2010.

British Airways say they are intending to operate a range of flights over the strike period; not all flights on those dates will be cancelled. More information